Mark Stodola, Mayor, City of Little Rock

Mark Stodola, Mayor, City of Little Rock

Mark Stodola was elected as Mayor of the City of Little Rock, beginning in January 2007. Stodola was re-elected to a 2nd term beginning in 2011 capturing 84% of the vote and re-elected in 2014 to a 3rd term without opposition. As Mayor, he has helped prioritize public safety as the City’s foremost obligation, resulting in substantial decreases in violent crime and property crime and focused on various quality of life projects impacting economic development and tourism.

The Mayor has partnered with the State of Arkansas and the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce to bring over $1 billion in new capital investment to the city resulting in over 5,000 new jobs since taking office. In 2009, he crafted a major bond initiative that resulted in $6.9 million dollars in improvements to the City’s park system and, in 2011, led a successful campaign to increase the City’s sales tax which had been the lowest in the state. The city is now enjoying many new much-needed facilities as well as road and drainage improvements.

Stodola has been key in promoting the revitalization of Little Rock’s Main Street, resulting in the city receiving 9 state, national and international design awards for its “Creative Corridor” plan which has sparked over $76 million dollars in private sector development.

Prior to becoming Mayor, Stodola served as a senior partner in the Little Rock law firm Catlett & Stodola, PLC. In 2006 and 2007, Stodola was named to the Mid-South Super Lawyers list.

Currently, Mayor Stodola serves the US Conference of Mayors as Vice-Chair of the Metro Ports and Exports Task Force and as a member of the Advisory Council. He is also on the Board of Directors for the National League of Cities.

Mayor Stodola graduated from the University of Iowa with a double major in Political Science and Journalism, and received his law degree from the University of Arkansas, School of Law in Fayetteville. He has taught in the Political Science Department at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR); in the MBA program at UALR; at the UALR Bowen School of Law; at the Clinton School of Public Service and at Webster University. Mark is married to Jo Ellen and has three children: a daughter, Allison; and twin sons, Robert and John Mark.